I.
CONDUCT OF INVESTIGATION
An accident involving aircraft NC 17320 occurred at the Dayton Municipal Airport, Dayton, Ohio on June 27, 1942 at 3:44 a.m. (all times referred to herein are EWT) while the aircraft was operating in scheduled air carrier service between New York, New York and Los Angeles, California, as Flight 3 of Transcontinental and Western Air, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as TWA). The accident resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. At the time of the accident the airplane was carrying fifteen passengers and a crew of three. None of the passengers or members of the crew sustained any injuries.
The Chicago office of the Safety Bureau, Civil Aeronautics Board, (hereinafter referred to as the Board), was notified by the TWA Chicago office at 4:15 a.m. the same day. Immediately after receiving this notification the Board initiated an investigation of the accident in accordance with the provisions of Section 702 (a) (2) of the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938, as amended. Investigators were sent to the scene of the accident, the first of whom arrived there about 6:00 p.m., June 27.
In connection with the investigation of the accident, a public hearing was held at Kansas City, Missouri on July 8, 1942. The following personnel of the Safety Bureau of the Board participated in the hearing: W. K. Andrews, Chief, Investigation Section, as Examiner; R. D. Hoyt, Assistant Director; R. P. Parshall, Senior Air Safety Investigator; and H. V. Shebat, Air Safety Investigator. R. C. Schmidt, U. S. Weather Bureau, Department of Commerce, also participated.
Upon the basis of all the evidence accumulated in the investigation and at the hearing, the Board now makes its report in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938, as amended.
